Le Journal

Jonathan Toews’ return to the United Center on Monday night carried far more emotion than a typical Central Division matchup between the Winnipeg Jets and Chicago Blackhawks. For the first time in his career, Toews skated onto the Chicago ice wearing a visiting sweater, and the moment instantly turned into a celebration of one of the most iconic players in franchise history. During the first television timeout, the Blackhawks played a tribute video honoring Toews’ 15 seasons in Chicago. The response from the crowd was immediate and overwhelming. Fans rose to their feet and delivered a thunderous standing ovation that stretched on for at least four minutes, refusing to let the moment pass quietly. As the cheers echoed through the arena, Toews took multiple laps around the ice, acknowledging fans who once watched him lift three Stanley Cups. Amid the roar, Toews’ reaction perfectly captured the moment. Overwhelmed by the noise and emotion, he could be seen shaking his head and quietly saying, “Alright, alright,” a lighthearted yet hilarious response that drew smiles from fans and teammates alike. The United Center simply wouldn’t stop applauding. "Alright, alright." The United Center wouldn’t stop applauding Jonathan Toews’ return. pic.twitter.com/9Yyukeiuxd — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 20, 2026 The ovation carried extra weight given how Toews’ tenure in Chicago ended. After the 2022-23 season, the Blackhawks chose not to bring him back, and lingering health issues forced him away from the game for two years. That absence meant there was never a true farewell for a player who defined an era of Blackhawks hockey. Monday night filled that void, and the Chicago Blackhawks ensured to cherish every bit of it as they also posted the entire sequence on X, formerly Twitter with a heartfelt caption, “one of the best to wear a Blackhawks sweater… welcome back Jonathan Toews.” one of the best to wear a Blackhawks sweater… welcome back Jonathan Toews pic.twitter.com/L2VvLyEOuY — Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 20, 2026 Toews’ resume in Chicago speaks for itself. Drafted third overall in 2006, he became the youngest captain in franchise history at age 20 and went on to win Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013, and 2015. He posted 883 points in 1,067 regular-season games and elevated his play in the postseason, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2010. At his peak, Toews was widely viewed as the league’s most complete two-way center. Now 37, Toews is writing a new chapter with the Jets, his hometown team, while carrying the respect and admiration of an entire city. As the season continues, moments like Monday’s ovation serve as a reminder that legacy lasts far longer than any single jersey — and that Chicago will always be part of Jonathan Toews’ story. The post Jets’ Jonathan Toews gives hilarious reaction to standing ovation from Blackhawks fans appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The Indiana Hoosiers completed an undefeated season with a 27-21 victory over Miami in the National Championship on Monday night. No. 1 Indiana stunned the college football world with a 16-0 campaign. The Hoosiers stormed through the CFP, toppling No. 9 Alabama and No. 5 Oregon before taking down No. 10 Miami to capture the first national title in the program’s 138-year history. But Kirk Herbstreit made sure fans remembered the role his former College GameDay co-host Lee Corso played in Indiana football’s first big win on the national stage. “I just want to shout out Lee Corso,” Herbstreit said following the Hoosiers’ victory on Monday night, per Awful Announcing. “I talked with him earlier today. He was completely dialed in and excited about what Indiana was doing. He was picking Indiana. He knew that they could pull this off and finish their season. “And he said, ‘Hey, don’t forget, 1979. Our first bowl victory as a school. 1979, beat BYU.’ I said, ‘Coach, we’ll never forget that. We’ll never forget that,’” Herbstreit told the ESPN audience. “So, coach, if you’re out there, buddy, we love you. Congratulations to you, and all of the Hoosiers, and all your former teammates and players.” Indiana wins first national title in perfect season Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Corso is best known for his 38-year run on College GameDay, which included a weekly headgear selection segment. Corso would famously wear the mascot head of the team he picked to win. Herbstreit joined him on the show in 1996 and the two worked together until Corso’s final College GameDay appearance in August 2025. However, before becoming an analyst for the ESPN college football program, Corso ran college football programs. He spent 10 seasons as Indiana’s head coach from 1973-1982. Corso had two winning seasons with the Hoosiers, including the school’s 8-4 1979 campaign. That year he delivered Indiana’s first bowl victory, topping BYU 38-37 in the Holiday Bowl. Overall, Corso went 41-68-2 during his time as the Hoosiers’ head coach. After Corso was fired, Indiana continued its losing ways for the next four decades. Then Curt Cignetti led a remarkable two-year turnaround. The head coach transformed the program after taking the reins in 2024. And Fernando Mendoza helped him reach the top of the college football mountain this season. The post Former Hoosiers coach Lee Corso gets heartwarming shoutout from Kirk Herbstreit appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Miami football stepped into the national spotlight and walked away with a loss that will resonate well beyond the final whistle. The Hurricanes’ loss to the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff Championship Game exposed flaws that lingered beneath the surface all season, finally emerging under the brightest lights. In a game marked by errors, inadequate planning, and missed chances, Miami had control over its destiny—and let it elude them. The most damage came from the special teams unit, where a disastrous 10-point swing altered the trajectory of the contest. Early in the game, Alex Bauman failed to secure the edge on a punt, allowing Indiana’s Mikail Kamara to surge through untouched. As a result, the Hurricanes punt was blocked and jumped on for a touchdown—a momentum-shifting play rarely seen on a stage of this magnitude. Indiana had shown a clear tendency to pressure punts, yet Miami appeared unprepared for it. Later, kicker Carter Davis missed a 50-yard field goal just before halftime. The miss sent the Hurricanes into the locker room scoreless and trailing 10-0, a psychological blow that felt large the rest of the night. Offensive issues only compounded the damage. Miami’s first half lacked rhythm, creativity, and urgency. Mark Fletcher Jr. averaged an impressive 6.6 yards per carry, yet he did not receive a single rushing attempt before halftime. That decision stripped the offense of balance and predictability, allowing Indiana’s defense to dictate terms. The Hurricanes managed just 18 yards in the first quarter and 69 total yards in the opening half. Three first-half three-and-outs underscored how unprepared quarterback Carson Beck and the Hurricanes looked compared to their usual standard. Play-calling further highlighted the team’s struggles. The scheme leaned conservative and failed to distribute the ball effectively, enabling the Hoosiers’ defense to crowd passing lanes and control the tempo. Miami’s offensive stagnation forced the Hurricanes into a reactive posture, chasing points rather than establishing control. Once the game shifted into that mode, the margin for error disappeared. To their credit, the Hurricanes showed resilience in the second half, mounting a rally that cut the deficit to 27–21. The comeback effort demonstrated resolve, but execution faltered when precision mattered most. The final drive opened with a costly delay-of-game penalty, burning precious time and field position. With 48 seconds remaining, Beck underthrew a pass intended for wide receiver Keelan Marion, resulting in an interception that sealed the outcome. The decision ignored the realities of college clock management, where safer intermediate routes could have preserved the chance for a final push. Discipline issues further compounded the Hurricanes’ struggles Monday night in South Beach. Seven penalties stalled drives and extended Indiana possessions, each mistake adding pressure to an already strained comeback attempt. When combined with special teams failures and first-half offensive paralysis, the Hurricanes left themselves with no room to recover. This loss was not the result of a talent gap or bad luck. Lapses in preparation, discipline, and decision-making undid Miami football. Until those areas stabilize, games like this will continue to serve as harsh reminders that at this level, every mistake carries a cost—and the Hurricanes, on this night, paid all of them. The post Miami Hurricanes most to blame after heartbreaking loss to Indiana appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The Indiana Hoosiers head coach, Curt Cignetti, finally allowed himself a moment to acknowledge what his program has become and what comes next after guiding the mighty Hoosiers to a historic College Football Playoff national championship. Following Indiana’s 27-21 victory over Miami Hurricanes in the CFP final, Cignetti spoke candidly about the shifting identity of a school long known for basketball dominance and football futility. Addressing the magnitude of the moment, he laid out the challenge awaiting Indiana now that the Hoosiers sit on top of the sport. “We’re national champions,” said Cignetti, via On3’s Brett McMurphy. “I know Indiana’s history was pretty poor w/some good years sprinkled in there. It was a basketball school. Emphasis is on football now. Have to be good in football now.” The comment captured the reality of Indiana’s transformation. For decades, the Hoosiers were defined by losses, the most in FBS history, before Cignetti arrived, promising immediate results. Two seasons later, Indiana stands alone as a 16-0 national champion, something no major college football team had accomplished since 1894. Cignetti’s path to the title was built through calculated transfer portal moves, NIL investment, and a demanding culture that reshaped expectations overnight. The Hoosiers not only climbed to a No. 1 ranking for the first time in program history but finished the job in front of 67,227 fans at Hard Rock Stadium, many of them wearing cream and crimson. Historically, Cignetti also etched his name alongside elite company, becoming the first coach since Gene Chizik in 2010 to win a national championship in his first or second season at a school. True to his old-school reputation, emotion was sparse throughout the game. He barely reacted to a blocked punt touchdown by Mikail Kamara and showed only brief celebration when Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza extended Indiana’s lead late. Even after Miami’s final interception sealed the win, Cignetti remained locked in until the clock expired. Only then did he allow himself a release, sprinting onto the field and pointing skyward as confetti fell. Despite outside speculation about potential career moves, Cignetti made it clear that the celebration would be brief and the grind would resume almost immediately. “We’ll take the day off tomorrow, get back at it Wednesday,” said Curt Cignetti, via On3’s Andy Staples. With the first title secured, Indiana’s next challenge is clear — sustaining excellence. And under Cignetti, the Hoosiers are already preparing to prove this run was only the beginning. The post Curt Cignetti admits big challenge ahead of Indiana Hoosiers after CFP title run appeared first on ClutchPoints.

To have come so close and yet finish so far — nothing is more heartbreaking in competitive sports. On Monday night, the Miami football program could scarcely finish with a more devastating outcome than to fall short in the CFP National Championship game, 27-21, after putting up such an excellent fight against college football’s most dominant team in recent history, the Fernando Mendoza-led Indiana Hoosiers. Miami simply could not execute against an Indiana defense that buckled down towards the end of the fourth after Malachi Toney put head coach Mario Cristobal and his men to within three against the Hoosiers. Indiana football then sealed the deal with a field goal with around a minute and a half left in the ballgame. It is tempting to think that Miami, with a few tweaks, could return to this level and perhaps break through next year. But the Hurricanes head coach is dispelling the notion that getting this far in the CFP is easy, saying that nothing is given and they have to earn their way back. “That’s the biggest misconception in sports — ‘well, they almost got there, they’ll be back next year.’ That’s a bunch of bull. You’ve got to improve from a roster standpoint, a regimen standpoint, discipline, everything, and move forward,” Cristobal said, per Nicole Auerbach of NBC Sports. Miami football looks to get over the hump next season Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images It is both a refreshing and frustrating thing that there is always a new season in sports. On the one hand, a program’s hopes are renewed. On the other hand, they have to do it all again — sometimes failing to do so considering how emotionally and physically taxing getting to the mountaintop is. As for Cristobal, they will be looking for a new quarterback to replace Carson Beck, who is pro-bound (at last) this year. The post Miami football’s Mario Cristobal shreds ‘biggest misconception in sports’ appeared first on ClutchPoints.